Working alone can present health and
safety problems since, on the face of it, a worker has to ensure
their own safety. However, as far as the Health and Safety at Work
Act is concerned, the responsibility of the employer to ensure the
safety of a lone worker is virtually the same as that
responsibility for all other employees, either working in a group
or under close supervision. What needs to be considered is the
degree of risk to a lone worker. For those working in an office,
the risk is likely to be small but for those working in
laboratories, workshops and places where paints, chemicals and
other hazardous materials are used may give rise to a foreseeable
risk of injury. As the risk increases, the problems of lone working
require greater attention. In this age of rising violence, lone
workers who come into contact with members of the public as part of
their duties should be included in the
groups of staff who work alone.
Working environments and equipment used by a lone worker
should meet with the requirements of any relevant health and safety
regulations. This requirement should, in most cases, already be
complied with, but this should be confirmed during a risk
assessment. Whilst staff who work alone should be suitably trained
and competent for the work they do, they may, as lone workers,
require special training or instructions. Regular monitoring of a
lone worker may be necessary, depending upon the nature of the work
and the hazards involved. Telephone contact with security or other
named person at agreed frequencies is one example of a procedure
for reducing risks to lone workers. There is also a 'permit to
work' system which could be used, in which details of the work
being undertaken and recommended safety and security precautions
are included. The University is also investing in some radio pagers
for lone worker use that will be linked to a premises security
desk. There are plans to make them available for staff to borrow
from security desks.
There is a duty to provide adequate first aid facilities in
the workplace. Should a lone worker sustain a minor injury, s/he
may be able to use a first aid box to treat themselves or summon
help. However, a more serious injury may mean that a worker is
unable to help themselves or use a telephone. If appropriate,
procedures for such an event should be considered, especially if
there will be no first aiders present. The Safety Advisers can
provide small one-person first aid kits, should they be deemed
necessary. First Aid provision for a lone worker should be
considered as part of a risk assessment process.
Information on Safety and Security for Lone
Workers
A lone worker is a person who works where there are no other
members of staff present on the same floor at the same time and
their exact location is not known to any other member of staff or
security. In most cases they will work without close or direct
supervision in a wide variety of situations. This could include
being off-site or outside a building.
Health and Safety Regulations require management to undertake
risk assessments to identify hazards in the workplace and to record
details that are considered significant. These risk assessments
should include the activities of staff and students who have to
work alone either by design or through other circumstances. Where
hazards are identified then steps should be taken to devise
procedures to give protection to a lone worker.
Staff falling into this category would include, Facilities and
security staff, librarians, technicians, Estates staff, the list is
not exhaustive. Students would include those working alone in
studios, darkrooms and laboratories, especially at weekends and
evenings.
A lone worker needs to consider a number of safety and
security related issues whilst they are at work. These are detailed
below.
SAFETY
1. There is your duty to take reasonable care for the health
and safety of yourself and others while you are working. This
requirement of the HSW Act 1974 means that you are responsible for
what you do, your actions, and what you don't do, your omissions.
Make sure that you do not put yourself or others at risk through
your work activities.
2. Management should involve lone workers in their risk
assessment to enable an adequate and sufficient assessment of the
work to be undertaken. If a risk assessment has not been carried
out or you are not sure, then see your line manager. Risk
assessments can be used to formulate safe systems of work.
3. You should use safe systems of work in all you do. Some
people are competent through their knowledge, experience and
training whilst others may need to receive detailed instructions or
training for a particular task. Be sure you know what you have to
do and how you are going to carry out your work.
4. If you have to use equipment of any sort in the course of
your work, check that it is free from defects, has been regularly
maintained and, where appropriate, has a current test label. Any
defects or suspect equipment must not be used; it must be reported
to your line manager for their attention.
5. You may be required to work off-site or outside a building.
You should agree with your line manager, as part of the risk
assessment process, any basic facilities for health, safety and
welfare that may be required.
6. Suitable and adequate first aid provision has been made
available throughout the University. First aiders are based in most
premises during normal working hours. Medium to high-risk
workplaces are provided with an emergency first aid box. Make sure
you are familiar with the University first aid procedures and that
you know your premises emergency number for summoning help in an
emergency.
SECURITY
1. Staff who work alone should be aware of their situation
especially when there are few if any other persons in the building.
It is sensible to lock the door to your workplace although in some
instances this may not be possible.
2. Let security know where you will be working and how long
you expect to be there. Depending upon the nature of the work and
identified risks, regular monitoring to ensure that you are all
right may be necessary. This can be achieved by periodic telephone
calls by security staff, by a hand radios linked into the premises
security desk (due to be available from April 2000), through a
permit to work system linked to the security desk or by a regular
security patrol of the premises.
3. Staff who come into contact with members of the public
could be exposed to verbal abuse or even threats of violence.
Whilst such occasions are rare, should this happen to you then stay
calm, assess the situation, make eye contact but do not stare, be a
good listener, use an assertive and reassuring voice to calm the
person down whilst endeavouring to resolve their problem. If they
persist with their abuse and you cannot resolve their problem then
politely ask them to leave whilst ringing for help to the security
desk using the premises emergency number. Training to help you deal
with difficult security situations is available. Please ask your
line manager for details.
February 2000